Not only is there ZERO quality control in the oh-so-praised native species appreciation project with people selling "unidentified black ants" in plastic bottles, there's actually people KNOWINGLY SELLING INVASIVE ANTS THROUGH THE GAN SYSTEM.
Yes, you can (amongst others) buy red imported fire ants, the worst invasive ant species on the planet, through the GAN project. This gives "Global Nursery" a whole new meaning. And no, it doesn't matter that RIFA is already almost everywhere in Texas, this is a clear violation of GAN rules and obviously nobody at AntsCanada cares about this.

Here's an overview of the GAN rules (it's not like it's an entire book or a super complicated legal text, in fact it is pretty straight forwards and almost idiot-proof).

In joining the GAN Project as a GAN farmer I am required to:

1) Raise my ants to the best of my ability, providing the colonies with appropriate care and equipment. New queens are to be raised in the standard test tube setup or other proven method.

2) Inform AntsCanada immediately when a colony I am offering dies or if I have another colony available for sale

3) [Exclusivity] Never sell ants to anyone except through the GAN Project; this also applies to previous GAN Hosts (customers). Any and all ant purchasing transactions must be made through the GAN Project through AntsCanada.com unless express written permission is obtained from AntsCanada.com via email. Any inquiries the GAN Farmers may get personally or online must be directed to AntsCanada.com to make the purchase of the GAN Farmer’s colonies.

4) Ensure that the selling of local ants within the GAN FArmer’s area is legal

5) Always meet GAN Hosts in a public place with a companion for safety reasons when picking up the colony

6) Provide a current email address for communication, as well as a skype contact, and to let the AntsCanada.com team know if contact information changes

7) Always conduct myself professionally online and in person when working in association with AntsCanada.com, which includes online science or ant-related websites and when meeting GAN Hosts.

8) Make arrangements to meet with GAN Hosts locally

9) Never sell ants that are not native to his/her area

10) Only sell ants with at least 1 worker

So let's see how hard these rules are actually enforced on the GAN store front page.

The US clearly needs more fire ants as well.
And why identify them to the species level, it's not like Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis molesta are any noticeably different species.
And again, who needs workers when there are eggs.

*9) Never sell ants that are not native to his/her area*10) Only sell ants with at least 1 worker

GEORGIA, USA:Savannah (1 GAN Farmer)
[...]
Species: Solenopsis invicta
Colony size: 15-25 workers
Difficulty level/notes: Easy – easy to start with but when the colony size grows they will try and escape and because of their small size they are very good at squeezing into tight places you wouldn’t expect they could (like between two pieces of glass). Tip: Seal everything with glue.
Housing: Test tube
Price: $30 USD
Number of colonies available: 1

Last edited by Serafine on Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

"We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull."

Thinking this is ridiculous? Here's some more unidentified fire ants, potentially Solenopsis invicta as well in "temporary containers" - whatever that means.
RIFA infestations in Virginia are kinda sparse yet so we urgently need more people potentially spreading them.

*1) Raise my ants to the best of my ability, providing the colonies with appropriate care and equipment. New queens are to be raised in the standard test tube setup or other proven method.*9) Never sell ants that are not native to his/her area

What? You thought this was the worst? You seen nothing yet, here's some "unidentified black ants" in "glass bottles" (could also be read as "I don't give a crap about properly IDing or nesting them, just hand over the money").

* 1) Raise my ants to the best of my ability, providing the colonies with appropriate care and equipment. New queens are to be raised in the standard test tube setup or other proven method.* 9) Never sell ants that are not native to his/her area

There's enough of these already in the US and they do not need to get to places where they haven't been able to spread yet.
Also selling Solenopsis invicta to people outside of the RIFA quarantine zone is illegal and a direct violation of US laws.

On a further note,
If you create a framework for antkeepers to make contact and sell colonies to each other you must take at least some responsibility and do the best you can to assure that 1) there is someone helping people to properly ID their ants and 2) make sure sellers do not blatantly violate the rules (or even the law) on the store front page by selling ants that are highly invasive and well known to have a devastating effect on their environment (which is DEFINITELY TRUE for Solenopsis invicta).
Some might even be illegal to keep or sell in the states that they are sold (there are some US states that prohibit the keeping of red imported fire ants as pets although I do not exactly know which ones these are, California is one of them).

Since you are so eager to constantly highlight the responsibility we antkeepers have for our environment I'm sure you'll understand these issues and will take the appropriate steps to solve them.

"We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull."

I 120% agree with you Serafine and with the above posts. It's has gotten way outta hand and GAN is supposed to represent and stand for so much more. You guys are doing this to yourselves AC...there are us who truly think what Mikey B. has started is something special and it should follow what he started. Please take the time to do the GAN project how is should be done and do it with honor and dignity.

Thanks Serafine for making your post! I only use my phone so taking the time to do a post like that myself would have taken to long...much appreciation for saying what needed to be said!!!

Can we please have ANY form of response to this.
My patience is running out and I'm soon gonna point US authorities towards the GAN project. They don't joke when it comes to fire ants, even Drew hat to kill his RIFA colony when they got knowledge of the fact that he had one.

"We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull."

Can we please have ANY form of response to this.
My patience is running out and I'm soon gonna point US authorities towards the GAN project. They don't joke when it comes to fire ants, even Drew hat to kill his RIFA colony when they got knowledge of the fact that he had one.

this has been brought to Mikey's attention by me. First off The user who posted this isn't even in the USA, she is from Germany, she knows nothing of whats going on here but maybe by hearsay. For her to be making comments and threats that have no proof or substantiation she is in fact doing slander towards Mikey Busto's and AntsCanada. She never bought ants in the USA let alone have dealt with the GAN farmers here in the United States, so anything she has said is based on an oppion she came to herself.

#1 Yes Solenopsis is an invasive species we all know that and the GAN farmers are to only sell them to people in the same state. SO RFIA are already active in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, so that means that any GAN farmer can sell thats species in anyone in the same state but not outside of that state (can not cross the border of that state). I know one of the GAN farmers in Georgia and he is very strict to have the person buying the ants show ID as proof they live in the state of Georgia. And that goes for any other species for any state.

Ok like anything with rules there are those that break them....... guy from Georgia buys ants from GAN Farmer in Georgia and then takes them outside of the state, that is not the fault of the GAN Farmer, the GAN project, AntsCanada, or Mikey Busto's! If the species is already active in a state and then taken to another that is isn't active in that makes it an invasive ant simply put.

Again the user "Serafine" has no proof of wrong doings, has no proof of sales outside the State of which the GAN farmer is based, everything she has stated has no backing to it what so ever. If there has been a GAN farmer that has broke the rules they are to be reported to AntsCanada and or Mikey Busto's and they will not only be removed but also reported to the State government and or US Government. At one point we had some users that tried to start their own ant sales using the ACAF as a sales floor and they were selling and sending those ants anywhere, they were quickly removed and reported.

BTW: IF she says she lives in the USA she has also lied on the location in her Account Location.

And to the final subject, If anyone has an issue with AntsCanada or Mikey Busto's please send an email to one or the other but do not make a posting like this posting false info or unaccredited info in an attempt to cause slander towards AntsCanada or Mikey Busto's will be permanatly banned from the AntsCanada Ant Forums. This is in the rules that you agreed upon when signing up for the forums.

"1. Do not bash, speak ill, or make reference in any negative way to AntsCanada, the owner Mikey Bustos, or the products of AntsCanada (but objective criticism in the testimonial section is permitted at the discretion of the moderators/admin). If you have issues regarding orders, products, services, etc relating to AntsCanada or its personnel please address them to customer service at contact-us@AntsCanada.com and kindly allow up to 2-3 days for a response. "

"14) The Owner (Mikey Bustos), Administrators, Moderators have final say on any disputes. We have Vowed to run these boards fairly, in as neutral a manner as we can, and with the aim to make the AntsCanada Ant Forum a place of positive and learning."